Flying-machine.



c. 1). LANSI G. FLYING MACHINE. iAPPLlCATION FILED MAY 5, I915.

L1 Patented Ap1-. 25,1916.

2 SHEETS-SWEET I.

c. n. LANSING. FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION HLED MAY 5. I915.

' Patnbed Apr. 25,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CHARLES D LANSING, OF ASHTABULA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-NINTH T0 HARRY W. LUETHI, ONE-NINTH TO C. STUART MYGATT, AND ONE-NINTH T0 FREQD R. HOGUE, ALL OF ASHTABULA, OHIO, AND ONE-FIFTEENTH T0 ORA .I.. FELL, OF YOUNGS- rown, OHIO.

' FLYING-MACHINE. v

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

Applicationfiled May 5, 1915. Serial No. 26,116.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. LANSING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashtabula, in the county-of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to flying machines, and one of its objects is to provide a. machine which is adapted for directly ascending and descending without gliding action, which may be caused to hover or remain stationary in the air over any given point on the earth or water below, and which may he landed at any given speed.

A further object ofthe invention is to.

provide a flying machine of the helicopter type wherein the lifting and sustaining propellers are arranged to operate in such man ner as to render the machine inherently selfbalancing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine in which a driving propeller of the tractor type is employed,-

which may be adjustedto steer the machine laterally in either direction, and also admits of stopping and backing the machine while suspended in the air.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a top plan view of a flying machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2

is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine, Fig. 4 .is a sectional plan view on the line H of Fig. 2..

The frame 1 of the machine may be of any suitable form and construction, and provided with any desired type of launching and landing -gear (not shown). This frame includes a head portion 2 provided. with a series of radiating arms 3 arranged in X-shaped formation and upon which are supported a series of propellers 4 arranged to rotate horizontally on vertical axes 5.- These propellers are arranged in longitudinally and transversely alined pairs on opposite sides of the longitudinal and transv rse centers of the machine, the propellers at the opposite sides being revolved in practice in Opposite directiom so that the tendency of one set of propellers to cause skidding or side-drifting from lateral thrust will be counteracted by the lateral thrust of the other set of propellers.

Supported upon the frame 1 is an aviators seat 6, and also supported upon the frame 1 is a suitable motor 7 the shaft 8 of which is provided atone end with a beveled gear 9 meshing with a beveled gear 10 on the lower end of a vertical shaft 11 which extends above the head portion 2 of the frame and carries drive pulleys or sprocket Wheels 12 connected by belts or chains 13 with pulleys or sprocket wheels 14 on the aXes of the propellers 4:, whereby said propellers are driven.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the propellers are adapted when set inaction to lift the machine bodily from the ground, to sustain it inthe air, and to admit of the machine ascending at any desired speed and also descending at any desired speed W1t-l1' out. the necessity of the machine in either case having a gliding action. The speed of these propellers 4 may be regulated by varying the speed of the engine or otherwise so as to simply support the machine without further lifting impulse, so that the machine may be caused to hover or remain stationary in the air over any given point on the earth or water below.

It will be observed that as the propellers 4 are grouped about the frame at equal radial distances from the vertical center thereof, and are arranged in longitudinally and transversely alined pairs, the opposite propellers of the transversely alined pairs working in opposite directions, the four propellers will tend toestablish counteracting resistances to any movement of the machine out of a balanced position, whereby the propellers in action operateto render the maports at its upper end a horizontal frictionwheel 19 which is disposed within the space bounded 'by a yoke 20 swiveled or pivoted to swing horizontally upon the upper end of said shaft. Journaled in the arms of this yoke is a shaft 21 carrying a propeller which is thus mounted to rotate in a "fyertical plane and in practice is employed both as a driving and steering propeller.

Engaging the surface of'the frictionwheel or disk 19 is a vertically disposed friction wheel or disk 23 which is feathered to slide upon and rotate with the propeller shaft and is provided with a grooved collar or hub 24 engaged by a forked member 25 connected by means of a rod 26 with a control lever 27, whereby the friction wheel or disk 23 may be shifted across the face of the disk 19 between the center and periphery of said disk to vary the speed of the propeller within determined limits without varying the action of the motor.

Fixed to the yoke 20 are laterally extending arms 21 which are coupled by connections 22 with a drum 23 on a control shaft 24, whereby the propeller 22 may be swung laterally to steer the machine sidewise in either direction. This propeller 22 is placed at the center of the forward portion of the machine on a line between and below the forward lifting and sustaining propellers,

so that normally its action will not interfere with the balance or trim of the machine. it will be 'evident that by controlling the propeller 22 through the medium of the gearing and operating means just described the machine may be driven ahead at any desired speed within its speed range while it is being sustained by the action of the propellers 4:, without disturbing or vary ing the speed of the engine, and that by shifting the friction disk 23 to aneutral position the action of the propeller may be stopped without stopping the motor, while by shifting said disk 23 to a point in advance of the center of the disk 19 the propeller 22 may be driven in an opposite direction to brake or back the machine. By

swinging the yoke 20 laterally the propeller 22furthermore serves, as stated, as a means for steering the machine laterally in a ready and efficient manner.

I claim A flying machine including a frame structure, sustaining means carried thereby, a motor, a vertical shaft driven therefrom,.a

=yoke swiveled upon said shaft, a horizontal friction disk carried by the shaft, a shaft journaled upon the yoke, a driving propeller carried by said shaft, a friction disk feathered to slide upon and rotate with the propeller shaft and adjustable over the face of the first-named disk, means for adjusting said adjustable disk, and means for a swinging the yoke laterally in either direction.

In testimony .whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. LANSING.

Witnesses: HELEN MOTSKO,

F. R. Hoenn. 

